Tainted Faith

Five: Cinque [re-written 10/01/21]

"Liliana," Sebastiano was the first to greet her, voice louder than all others as he approached her with one of his fearsome smiles. Those who had not already noticed her arrival, surely did now.

Her lips twisted ever so slightly into a strained smile as she nodded her head in greeting towards him. Seeming satisfied, Sebastiano's gaze flicked briefly behind her before he turned and resumes his conversation with whomever it was beside him. Liliana couldn't help the sigh of relief if she tried. She was thankful he had not wanted to speak to her, the older man made her uncomfortably nervous and it already felt as if she were full to the brim with nerves anyway. She wasn't sure she could survive a conversation with the unsettling man right now.

Suddenly, a hand brushed her bare elbow, and Liliana instinctively flinched away. To her horror it was Marcello that stood behind her, expression muted as he stepped closer to her. She didn't move, stiffening as one of his hands settled comfortably on her waist and the material of his shirt grazed her bare back. Her pulse jumped as his head dipped to place a gentle kiss on her cheek - her face flushing immediately.

"Good actress, you said?" Were his first words, his voice deep and quiet as his lips grazed her ear. "Glad you could finally join us.

She didn't respond to his small dig, instead her attention was captured by the sight of her father stalking out of the villa from behind them and making his way towards family on the beach. When she glanced back at Marcello, she noted the glare fixed on his face as he too observed her father. It seemed she was not the only one to hold distaste for Antonion Fiorenza at the moment. At least that was something they had in common.

"You look nice," Marcello bothered to comment, his tone disingenuous as he kept his gaze fixed on her father, who was now busy conversing with Zia Adelina. Liliana noted her cousins stood off to the side, also watching.

Liliana felt the hand that rested on her hip, rise to stroke the soft material of her dress, the action bringing a shiver to her. She saw the small smirk dare to tug at his mouth. That sight alone, of that male pride that fluffed his ego, had her irritation building in his presence once again. She'd almost forgot, for one short second, how infuriating he could be.

With a role of her eyes, she moved to step away from him, his hands falling away. Now she had his full attention.

"Where are you going?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"To see my family," she replied just as bluntly, nodding over at where her four cousins were stood isolated from the rest of the guests, talking amongst themselves and keeping an eye on everyone, including the newly announced couple.

Of all people here tonight, she knew her cousins would be most against this marriage. They had to know this marriage had been forced on her and she knew they would be sizing up her marital family already.

To her surprise, Marcello silently grasped her hand and allowed her to lead the way across the sand; unaware, or simply uncaring, of the stares that followed them. She faltered at the contact if only for a second before plastering a bright smile onto her face.

"Marco!" She addressed cheerfully when she was only a metre from the man - her eldest cousin at twenty-eight - forcing all sense of pleasantry into her tone.

"Little Lili," Marco beamed back, the falsity of his greeting all too apparent to her. He held his arms out wide and without hesitation, Liliana dropped Marcello's hand as if it were burning coal and leapt into her cousins embrace. Marco's arms curved around her tightly, his mouth hovering by her ear as he uttered discreetly, "Are you okay?"

Liliana nodded a subtly as she could into his shoulder.

"I'm surviving," she whispered and pulled back to place a chaste kiss on his cheek before turning to her other three cousins: Roderigo, Federico and Gavino.